{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/press/menendez-cruz-lead-bipartisan-call-for-respect-for-nicaraguan-civil-society-and-press-freedoms", "Menendez, Cruz Lead Bipartisan Call for Respect for Nicaraguan Civil Society and Press FreedomsRead More", "2020-12-15", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Robert Menendez", "M000639", "www.menendez.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Senator BobMenendez (D-N.J.),\r\nRanking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, andSenator\r\nTed Cruz (R-Texas)were joined by nine of their Senate colleagues in\r\ncalling on U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua Kevin K. Sullivan to leverage all\r\ndiplomatic tools to ensure the safety of journalists, civil society, and\r\npolitical leaders in Nicaragua. In a letter to Ambassador Sullivan, the Senators expressed\r\nconcern about recent actions to codify press censorship and furtherrestrict\r\nactivities of civil society and political opponents ahead of November 2021\r\npresidential elections, including the recent passage of the so-called Foreign\r\nAgents Law and the Special Law on Cybercrimes. These efforts by the Ortega government represent a clear\r\nattempt to stifle political opponents and restrict citizen mobilization,the\r\nSenators wrote. We are deeply concerned that the recently enacted\r\nlegislation constructed to silence voices critical of the Ortega government\r\nwill lead to increased arrests and persecution of political opponents. The Senatorsalso raised concerns aboutthe\r\nharassment of independent news media in Nicaragua, including the recent court\r\nseizure of assets belonging to the owner ofNicavision Canal 12\r\none of only two independent channels still on open air in the country. Since April 2018, Nicaraguans have witnessed arbitrary\r\ndetentions of journalists and censorship of outlets such as100%\r\nNoticiasandNicavision Canal 12, while Ortega allies\r\nmaintain control over the majority of domestic news media,added the\r\nSenators. Joining Ranking Member Menendez and Senator Cruz in signing\r\nthe letter wereSenators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.),\r\nPatrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Bill Cassidy\r\n(R-La.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.),andJohn Cornyn (R-Texas). Find a copy of the letterHEREand\r\nbelow.  Dear\r\nAmbassador Sullivan: We write to express our concern regarding the Ortega\r\ngovernment's harassment of Nicaragua's political opposition, civil society, and\r\nindependent media. Respect for fundamental freedoms is essential for the\r\npreservation of a vibrant democracy, and the exercise of free speech requires\r\nthat opposition members, activists, and journalists be permitted to operate in\r\na safe environment. We are particularly troubled that, ahead of November 2021\r\nelections, Nicaraguan legislators have begun to codify press censorship and\r\nfurther restrict activities of civil society and human rights groups. Recently,\r\nmembers of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) in the Nicaraguan\r\nCongress passed legislation that mandates civil society, nongovernmental\r\norganizations, and citizens who receive funds originating from abroad to\r\nregister as foreign agents and bars them from engaging in domestic political\r\nactivities. The Nicaraguan Congress also approved a Special Law on\r\nCybercrimes, which would allow the Ortega government to prosecute individuals\r\naccused of spreading false and/or misrepresented information at its\r\ndiscretion. These efforts by the Ortega government represent a clear attempt to\r\nstifle political opponents and restrict citizen mobilization. We are alarmed by\r\nthese efforts to provide legal justification to harass and criminalize any\r\nentity critical of the Ortega government. Moreover, despite early 2019\r\ncommitments to release all political prisoners, at least 113 political\r\nopponents remain incarcerated as arbitrary detentions and kidnappings continue.\r\nWe are deeply concerned that the recently enacted legislation constructed to\r\nsilence dissent will lead to increased arrests and persecution of political\r\nopponents. The enactment of these laws is deeply concerning, especially\r\nin light of the fact that harassment of the independent news media in Nicaragua\r\nhas increased dramatically in recent years. Since April 2018, Nicaraguans have\r\nwitnessed arbitrary detentions of journalists and censorship of outlets such as100%\r\nNoticiasandNicavision Canal 12, while Ortega allies\r\nmaintain control over the majority of domestic news media.[1]That\r\nyear, journalists documenting protests throughout the country faced\r\nintimidation, theft of personal property, and assault. In one tragic case,\r\njournalist ngel Gahona was killed while broadcasting live on the events of\r\nApril 2018. The Ortega government's violent response to these protests\r\nreportedly resulted in upwards of 325 deaths, more than 2,000 injured, and\r\nprompted at least 70 journalists to flee Nicaragua.[2]Following a\r\nraid of the digital newspaperConfidencialand a series of\r\nthreats, respected journalist Carlos Fernando Chamorro was forced to seek\r\nsafety in Costa Rica in January 2019 for nearly a year. More recently, a Managua court ordered the seizure of assets\r\nbelonging to Mariano Valle Peters, the owner ofNicavision Canal 12which\r\nis one of only two independent channels still on open air in Nicaragua.[3]Dating\r\nback to 2011, Mr. Valle's outlet has experienced repeated theft of equipment,\r\npolice intimidation and assault of reporters, as well as frequent tax\r\nauditsall of which seems to be targeted intimidation toward the channel. We urge you to utilize all diplomatic tools to ensure the safety\r\nof journalists, civil society, and political opponents. In closing, we reaffirm\r\nour solidarity with the Nicaraguan people. Press freedom and freedom of\r\nexpression are integral to the preservation of democracy, and we call on the\r\nOrtega government to respect democratic ideals and the fundamental human rights\r\nof all Nicaraguans. Sincerely,  \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/press/menendez-cruz-lead-bipartisan-call-for-respect-for-nicaraguan-civil-society-and-press-freedoms"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8144611492753029, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}